Title: Announcement
Director: Benjamin Caron
In a recent interview Tony Gilroy explains that this episode will be a standalone episode; breaking the pattern we’ve seen in the first half of the season. Technically, Andor episode 7 does as he describes, although it does end in a bit of a cliffhanger. There is also a new director, Benjamin Caron, who has directed episodes of The Crown and Sherlock.
I really like this episode. The espionage and intrigue takes a big step up in this episode. As the galaxy and the Empire responds to the robbery on Aldhani, the Rebellion is beginning. It’s probably Fiona Shaw’s best performance in the series (thus far).
Call and Response Couplet and Wullf
I am going to call this out right away because I’m surprised it hasn’t already been called out on the Internet. The famous “shave and a hair cut” call and response couplet can be heard in this episode … “so I guess that’s canon now”. Honestly, who cares, it’s a common and identifiable musical riff. Besides, it probably has different lyrics in the Star Wars Universe.
Let’s talk about the other things we see in this episode. Bix is back, albeit briefly. Hopefully we see more of her because I really like this character. Perhaps her and Maarva will be the leaders of the Rebel cell on Farrix? I also have this theory that Syril Karn will be a Rebel ally since he was fired by the Empire for doing his job.
This is finally starting to look more like Star Wars starting with some actual aliens. I was listening to a Rebel Force Radio Andor after show and the guys pointed out the lack of aliens. It never occurred to me that there are very few aliens (that do not have a human appearance).
There are more Stormtroopers now. In fact we even see some Clone Troopers in a flashback! There are Imperial Probe droids, an MSE droid and our first sighting of the KX Imperial security droids.
We also, finally, get our first character from another series. The Imperial officer addressing the ISB intelligence officers about the Aldhani heist is Colonel Wullf Yularen. He is formally an Admiral of the Republic who commanded the Jedi Cruiser Resolute during the Clone Wars and worked closely with Anakin and Obi-Wan.
What did all of you think of Andor Episode 7? Did you spot anything else (other than more artifacts in Luthen’s shop)?
